Eye's of a Child
by Jade S
Summary: The first half of my Tenchi fic. Sasami feels neglected by the others and runs away to the one person she thinks cares about her. If you've ever wanted to see Sasami mad, now's your chance! Please r/r!


A/N: OK, this is my first Tenchi fic. I hope it doesn't suck! I did my best to stay in character, but who knows. Here's hoping! I just really think that the other characters in the show don't pay enough attention to Sasami, so excuse me if she starts sounding to grown up or something cause she really is. Oh and just so you know, this takes place during the "Tenchi in Tokyo" series, although it really doesn't fit into it at all because I kinda screwed up the time line. Sorry. So anyway, I hope you like this! Let me know if you want me to continue!   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
Eye's of a child  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
You brace and hold it all inside  
  
It's more than you can stand  
  
No one around even tries  
  
Tries to understand  
  
~~ "Come out swinging," The Offspring  
  
  
  
Sasami sighed sleepily, staring up at the ceiling. It was late now, to late for her to still be up, and yet she found it quite impossible to get to sleep, what with all the noise coming from down stairs. Can't they just shut up for once? The girl thought, rolling over on her side and covering her ears in hopes of drowning out the incessant sound of fighting which always occupied the Masaki home.  
  
It seemed so unfair to her, she did everything for them. She cooked, she cleaned, she did her best to keep them in line. And for what? So that she couldn't even get a good nights sleep? Sure, they could all sleep in till noon if they wanted, but not Sasami, she had work to do. Sometimes she really had to wonder who were the kids and who were the adults, because she knew very well who out of all of them was the most mature. And it certainly wasn't her sister or Ryoko.  
  
Not that she didn't love the others, not that she minded doing things for them, (it had become kind of a second nature to her after a while) she just felt that they were taking advantage of her. It hadn't been so bad when Tenchi was around. Sure, they fought just as much but he never took her for granted like they did. He'd actually cared enough about her to talk to her, or play with her, or even just to give her that smile of his. A smile from Tenchi could brighten up even the darkest of days.   
  
But now that was gone, he was gone. Off to learn new things and meet new people, and leave her alone, with them. To leave her with these restless nights and lonely days. To leave her. She missed him just as much, if not more then the others. She loved him just as much. But she also knew that she didn't stand a chance. Not with the others constantly competing for him. Not with Sakuya around.   
  
Sakuya. She was the worst yet, at least with Ryoko and Aeka she knew that Tenchi didn't want them the way they wanted him. But with Sakuya... She thought of the girl almost bitterly. She wasn't a bad person, wasn't mean or spiteful, and didn't really have any competition. Not really. And besides, Tenchi seemed to like her a whole lot better. The only person on the planet who actually cared about her and he had to go and care about someone else even more.  
  
A tear couldn't help but escape the young girls eye at the thought of Tenchi loving someone else. At least with the others it would have been tolerable, at least then he would have been closer to her. She'd give anything to just have him around again. She missed him so much.  
  
And then suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a loud *Bang* from down stairs that nearly shook the whole house. Serves them right, she thought as the house was left in silence. Maybe now I can get some sleep. And with that she rolled over again, hugging her pillow for what little comfort it could bring her and let the darkness of the night over take her as she finally drifted off to sleep.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
It was all Sasami could do not to scream as she continued to sweep the kitchen floor, the sound of fighting still dominant over that of any other. "Can't they ever stop fighting?" The girl asked seriously, turning to look at Ryo-Okhi. "I mean honestly, if it's not about TV it's about Tenchi and if it's not about Tenchi it's about getting to Tokyo. Which I guess is really about Tenchi but still...." She trailed off shaking her head disapprovingly.  
  
The small cabbit could only shrug at her, as she couldn't really answer the girls question. Sasami smiled weakly at her friend in response. "But why am I telling you this anyway? It's not as though any of this is your fault." She said and went back to her sweeping. "I just wish they could go fight some where else. Like in the woods or something, I don't know. But that's all they ever do, fight, fight, fight. And do they ever pay any attention to me? Noooo...I swear, the only time I even exist to them is when..."  
  
"Hey Sasami, you wouldn't happen to have any extra money laying around would you?" Aeka cut her off, causing the girl's head to drop, sighing as she finished her sentence.  
  
"...Unless they want something."  
  
"Did you say something?" Aeka looked puzzled as her sister shook her head. "Oh, well then do you..."  
  
"Sasami! Buddy!" Ryoko sounded exceptionally cheery (not to mention *loud*) as she entered the kitchen. "You wouldn't want to lend your pal Ryoko some cash would you?" Sasami sighed again.  
  
It was about that time that Kiyone and Mihoshi walked into the room. "No, Mihoshi, we can't go shopping. We can't even afford the things we need, let alone anything extra!" Kiyone exclaimed. "We're totally broke, not that that's unusual."  
  
"Hey, maybe we could barrow some money." Mihoshi suggested, sounding as though she'd just had a stroke of genius.  
  
"Yeah, I guess we could barrow it from someone...." Kiyone trailed off, her gaze unconsciously turning to Sasami, who simply frowned in response.  
  
"Why does everyone automatically look at me?"  
  
"Because your the only one in this house who knows how to save money." Ryoko stated simply.  
  
"Exactly." Kiyone agreed throwing the girl a pleading look. "If you could just loan us a few dollars, Sasami? We'd really appreciate it."  
  
"Or even just some food would be great, I'm starving!" Mihoshi threw in only to be knocked over the head by her partner. "Ow! Kiyone! What was that for?"  
  
"We already *have* food Mihoshi." Kiyone reminded her.   
  
"Good." Ryoko said. "Then Sasami can give me her money instead."  
  
"Yeah right Ryoko, at least we'll pay her back." Kiyone said truthfully.  
  
"With what? It's not like you two ever have any extra money yourselves." Ryoko stated.  
  
"Well, at least we intend to. At least we have jobs."  
  
"Hey, hey." Aeka interrupted waving her hands at the two, hoping to make them stop. "Neither of you are going to take Sasami's money!"   
  
Sasami's head popped up at this. "You mean that Aeka?" She asked, a tiny smile forming on her young face. Could Aeka really mean that? Was she really defending her?  
  
"Of course I do." Aeka replied. "Because your going to give it to your dear sweet big sister, aren't you?" Sasami's heart feel at her sisters words, nearly bringing tears to the young girls eyes as she starred on coldly at the others. She could honestly feel something inside of her breaking. Be it her trust, her compassion, her understanding or even her heart, she didn't really know, all she knew was that it hurt. Deeply.   
  
She'd done so much, cared so much, tried so hard, and for what? So that she could feel totally out numbered and alone? So that no one would care for her in return? Friendship wasn't supposed to be like that. It was supposed to mean something. It did to her. To her it meant that you were supposed to be nice to each other and care about each other and not be selfish. But they obviously didn't understand that. They obviously didn't care about her the way she thought they did. They obviously didn't care at all. Not even her own sister cared. And knowing that, she knew she couldn't hold her anger in any longer.  
  
"Dear sweet big sister?" It was all she could do not to laugh as she shook her head slowly. "Yeah right! The dear sweet big sister who never even pays attention to me unless she wants something! The dear sweet big sister who acts like she's younger then I am! The dear sweet big sister who doesn't even care about me!"  
  
Aeka was stunned by the younger girls harsh words, this really wasn't like her sister.  
  
"There, ya see Aeka, she doesn't want to give *you* her money." Ryoko said, observing the situation.   
  
"You either, Ryoko." Sasami said, her voice eerily calm. "And that goes for all of you. I worked for what I have. That's all I ever do is work. Work for you, and help you and give *you* what you want, and I'm sick of it!."  
  
"Sasami, I," Aeka began "I never knew you felt this way. I thought you liked helping..."  
  
"I did." The girl replied simply. "I did when someone actually cared about me instead of the things I do. I did like it when Tenchi was here." Tenchi, she thought, actually bringing a tear to her eye which she quickly brushed away. "I did then."  
  
The others were all socked to silence as Sasami continued, pain and frustration evident in her words and her now watery eye's. "And now even he doesn't want me He found someone else, he found someone better. Just like we all did when we meet him. And now even *he* doesn't need me anymore. Even he doesn't want me." This time she couldn't stop the tears from flowing, a new flood now replacing the one she'd so quickly whipped away before. "I guess I never even had a chance."   
  
And with that she ran away, leaving the others behind in there shocked state. Even Ryo-Okhi didn't follow her until it was to late. Until she was out of sight.   
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Sakuya grinned as she sipped her tea, staring dreamily at the boy across the table. "So, Tenchi," She began, setting her tea cup down on a costar in front of her, easily getting his attention. "Do you have any plans for this weekend?"  
  
Tenchi just shrugged for a moment, quickly sipping his tea as well. "Well, not really. Not yet."  
  
"Oh good!" Came the girls cheery reply, as smile quickly spreading across her face. "Cause I was thinking that maybe we could go see a movie or something. What do ya think?"  
  
"Uh, sure." He answered, a slightly distant look in his eye's. "There is this one that just came out that I've been wanting to see."  
  
"Great!" Sakuya's smile never faded as she made her reply. "How about on Saturday, I heard...."  
  
*Ring*  
  
"Hold that thought." Tenchi said, getting up to answer the now ringing phone. Sakuya just gave him a quick nod as he picked up the receiver and put it to his ear. "Hello?"  
  
"Tenchi?" Came the familiar voice of Aeka, barely above a whisper.  
  
"Yeah, Aeka is that you?" He asked, knowing perfectly well that it was.  
  
"Yes." She replied softly. "Oh Tenchi, something terrible has happened!"  
  
"What is it?" He asked her quickly, worried by the sad tone of her voice. "Are you OK?"  
  
"No, I'm not OK. Sasami's gone."  
  
"What?!" The boy suddenly exclaimed, causing the girl in his apartment to jump. "What do you mean, Sasami's gone?"  
  
"I mean she's gone." Aeka began explaining nervously. "I asked if I could barrow some money and she just got really mad and ran away. Tenchi, I'm so scared, I've never seen her act like this before. She was just so upset and she was crying and she said that no one cared about her and ran away. She's been gone for a while now, hours, I really don't know what to do. This isn't like Sasami at all."  
  
"Your right, that doesn't sound like her. But calm down Okay? You wont solve anything by getting all hysterical." He said honestly, although he himself was very worried for his friend. Sasami rarely ever got mad and even when she did she was always able to control herself. He couldn't help but wonder what could have made things so different this time. "Do you have any idea where she could be?"  
  
"I don't know, she just ran away so suddenly." Aeka replied, sounding genuinely worried. "But maybe she went to see you. She said you were the only one that cared about her, but then again she seemed awfully upset with you too."  
  
"With me?" He asked surprised. "What did I do?"  
  
"You didn't do anything, Tenchi. It was that girl, I'm sure of it!" Aeka stated bitterly.   
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Sasami's upset because you left and found someone else. She thinks that girl replaced her somehow." Aeka explained, feeling quite the same as her younger sister. "This is all that Sakuya's fault!"  
  
"Hey, stop it, Aeka." Tenchi urged. "This isn't about her, it's about Sasami."  
  
"I know, I know. But that girl just makes me so mad!"  
  
"I know." Tenchi said, trying not to get upset her under the current circumstances "Just try not to think about her now. This isn't the time. Now I'm gonna go look for Sasami, if she is around her I'm gonna find her. I think we need to talk."  
  
"All right." Aeka said. "Just be sure to call me if you hear from her."  
  
"I will." He assured her. "Bye Aeka."  
  
"Good-bye, Tenchi."  
  
*Click*  
  
"Is something wrong?" Sakuya asked, as Tenchi hung up the phone, although it was pretty obvious to her that something was.  
  
"A friend of mine, uh, needs my help." He replied, not really sure how to phrase his words.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yeah, so I have to get going." He told her, heading for the door as she did the same. "I'll see ya around okay?"  
  
"Why don't I come with you?" She asked. "Maybe I can help."  
  
Tenchi just shook his head as they both walked out the door. "No, I don't think so. This is something I really have to do on my own, so I'll just have to see you later."  
  
"Oh." She said again, sounding a little hurt. "Okay, I'll just call you about that movie then."  
  
He just nodded quickly as he jogged off, feeling somewhat bad for leaving Sakuya with so vivid a description, but knowing it was for the best.  
  
Sakuya waved sadly as he ran off, sighing at the sight of him as he disappeared around the corner. "I hope everything's okay." She thought aloud before turning and heading home herself.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: So what do ya think? Is it good? Does it suck? Was it in character? Care to lecture me about my grammar? Let me know, I like to hear what people think. If you people want me to I'll continue this, if not *Shrugs* I'll quite possibly continue anyway, we'll see. So until next time (If there is a next time) Thanx for reading, C'ya ^_^ 


End file.
